Some personal computer systems contain telephone application programs which can perform some functions which the user can use to partly automate the establishment and clearing of a telephone call. For example, such computer systems can contain a modem, into which a telephone set (telephone) is connected. The telephone application program can cause storage of a telephone directory of telephone numbers, and after the user requests the telephone directory to be displayed and one number is selected, the telephone application program causes the modem to seize a subscriber line to which the modem is connected, then causes a DTMF generator in the modem to dial the selected number. A telephone application program which can perform this function is WinFax Pro, sold by Delrina Corporation of Toronto, Canada. Other application programs which can perform the seizing and dialing functions are the communication program modules of the program Microsoft Works and of the program Windows 3.1, both sold by Microsoft Corporation, and Sidekick from Borland Corporation.
The aforenoted telephone application programs are of the "point and click" variety, in which a number is either selected by a cursor pointed at by cursor keys, a mouse, or the equivalent, and invoked by depressing a switch button (often referred to as a "click") or by depressing an "enter" key on the keyboard of the computer. The kinds of operations that can be invoked by these telephone application programs are very limited, e.g. causing seizure of a line and dialing or redialing a keyed or selected number.
Special calling features often provided by an advanced telephone service, such as automatically setting up a conference call, for example, are not possible to be performed by such telephone application programs. Further, if the personal computer is inoperative or switched off, the telephone cannot be used unless the telephone set is physically disconnected from the computer system (usually involving having to turn a cumbersome computer around to access its rear), and then is physically reconnected to the subscriber line via a phone jack, which often involves also first disconnecting the modem from the phone jack.